Workforce Investment Act Class Completed By 11 Students At VGCC Warren County Campus

May 8 was graduation day for 11 adults who completed the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) class conducted at Vance-Granville Community College’s Warren County Campus.

Completing the 21-week program were Sheena B. Christmas, Crystal Miller, Kamalia Plummer, Chanee Taylor and George Wilson of Warrenton, Mary Durham of Manson, Brad Hastings of Macon, Loretta Fuller and Denise Haywood of Henderson, and Gladys Jones and Susan Sutton of Louisburg.

Sylvia Jones, WIA coordinator for VGCC, told family and friends gathered for the graduation ceremonies that workforce development training focuses on helping unemployed get training and find employment. “This has proven to be particularly important in this area recently with all the layoffs that have occurred,” she said.

For the first 16 weeks of training, the students spent mornings in basic computer instruction and afternoons on job-getting and job-keeping skills. The final five weeks were spent working internships at area agencies: Warren County Schools, Granville County manager’s office, Franklin-Vance-Warren Opportunity Headstart Program, N.C. Cooperative Extension, Warren Health Plan and Warren County Department of Social Services.

Tony Cozart, who worked with interns at the Hawkins Educational Center at Northside Elementary School, said he first met Sheena Christmas when she was in first grade and he was a teacher. Then he was her high school principal and most recently she was an intern at the Hawkins Center. “It has been a pleasure working with her in three of the most important phases of her life,” Cozart said.

Joel Rice, who represents a workforce development success story, was the graduation speaker. Rice completed the workforce development class at Warren Campus in 1998, then went to N.C. State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in 2001. Currently, he is supportive housing coordinator for Area Mental Health.“I remember the job skills I received from this training, but most importantly, I remember the encouragement of the staff and instructors,” Rice said. He told the graduates that preparation, training, commitment and hard work are the steps to success.

The graduates recognized Blondelle Edgerton, WIA educational specialist and instructor, and Carolyn Foster, computer instructor, for their dedication to the class. 

In the photo above, completing the 21-week workforce development training at Vance-Granville Community College’s Warren County Campus were, seated, from left: Denise Haywood, Susan Sutton, Loretta Fuller, Mary Durham and Sheena Christmas; back row, from left: George Wilson, Brad Hastings, Kamalia Plummer and Gladys Jones. Unable to attend were graduates Crystal Miller and Chanee Taylor.